


未来

by edensgarden



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Universe, Confessions, During Canon, F/M, Karasuno, Reader is the manager, Reader-Insert, Shiratorizawa, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23822359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edensgarden/pseuds/edensgarden
Summary: 未来 - MiraiMeaning "future"“Whatever the future might hold for me, whether volleyball will be a part of it or not…” He breathed quietly against you, his hot breath skimming across your skin. “I hope you will be a part of it, ______.”
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 204





	未来

**Author's Note:**

> guess whose heart broke into a million pieces when Shiratorizawa lost?
> 
>  _Music:_ https://youtu.be/nJe62pXTcGk

Your eyes were clouded with hot tears that threatened to spill like an over boiling kettle. The boys were uncharacteristically silent as they walked towards you and the coach, a heavy cloud dipped in ink hanging over their dejected bodies.

Reon, Kenjiro and Taichi were dragging their feet, their fists shaking beside them as frustrated tears flowed down their twisted faces. Your stomach clenched at the sight of the usually cheerful trio looking so devastated.

There was nothing you could do.

Behind them Hayato had a comforting hand on Tsutomu’s shoulder, the latter hunched over as he sobbed violently. His pain streamed out in threads and tugged at your heartstrings, their defeat against Karasuno a harsh slap of reality he was struggling to accept.

You lifted your hand to cover your quivering lips, swallowing down a small pathetic noise as your other hand curled around the hem of your jersey tightly. You lowered your misty eyes when Wakatoshi turned his pool of penetrative olive ones towards you. You looked away, desperate to escape his inquiring gaze.

The boys were panting exhaustedly from their long match, no doubt tired to the bones from the effort they had put in.

And effort, they put in. You’d never seen them as passionate and thrilled as in this game, eager to win against the revived crows. Their eyes had been twinkling all throughout, their voices loud as they never had been… And for a moment, you had found yourself screaming along with them, the heat of the moment grappling you tightly.

You had been convinced they would win, as they always did.

But…

They had lost.

_This was it._

The words of the coach failed to reach your ears, your heart squeezing painfully when you heard the cheerful cries of the Karasuno boys. They were excitedly screaming about how they had made it, how they were going to the Spring Interhigh Tournament, _how they had beaten the powerhouse team that was the white eagles._

You gritted your teeth, thinking back to the gruesome amount of hours the boys had sacrificed – training day and night, day in and day out to become the pillar of strength they had become.

Countless wins with several incredibly talented players with one of them bearing the hope of becoming one of the nation’s greatest volleyball players.

And still, you had lost.

And still, you weren’t the ones crying from joy, singing your lungs out how you were going to Tokyo.

And still… You weren’t the ones going back home to celebrate.

You turned your head weakly to take in the score on the other side of the court, the numbers blaring obvious as if mocking you. A grim reminder that this wasn’t a nightmare. A lump formed in your throat and you tried with all might to swallow it down.

“And you’ll be hitting a hundred serves later.”

The stern voice of coach Washijō brought you back to the present, the lingering gazes of the boys raking over your body in concern. Their fingers twitched, an indescribable urge to scoop you into their strong, reassuring arms overcoming them.

They hated seeing their manager like this. They hated not seeing the cheery expression you usually wore, bringing shame upon the sun whenever your lips curled into that infectious smile.

As if you had been born to shine a light into any room of darkness.

Then why were their feet rooted to the ground, unable to reach out to your sunken body?

You scrubbed your swollen eyes aggressively with the sleeve of your white jacket, sniffling harshly before you faced straight ahead, your expression glued towards the stands, refusing to look into their eyes – you were in no condition to face any of the boys.

The last thing they needed right now was their manager breaking down and crying. You held a responsibility to look after them, not the other way around. You gulped once more, locking away the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams into a faraway place – somewhere, where they wouldn’t reach the boys.

“Let’s get the awards ceremony done and over with. Our friends have come to cheer on us tirelessly. We have to express our gratitude.”

You didn’t notice the way Tendō’s crimson eyes followed your back with an unreadable expression and a pressing feeling in his gut. He wiped the sweat off his brow with a deep-seated sigh before he followed suit, the others moving their aching legs to the edge of the court as well.

ღღღ

“Is he planning to talk to everyone individually?”

“That’s rare to see…”

“Wait, he sure has been watching everyone really closely.”

The third years were muttering among themselves as Wakatoshi took the time to give personalized advice and words of encouragement to the first and second years. You were sitting in the corner with your knees drawn against your chest, the elderly coach standing beside you with his hands clasped behind his back.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t go to nationals with this setup. All of the third years are incredibly powerful on their own. Together, they were supposed to be unbeatable.”

You looked up at him with swollen eyes, having cried silently on the bus ride all the way back to the academy, and noticed that in his usually stern gaze was something other than cold indifference – _was that regret?_

You tried to will the oncoming tears away, the sting in your chest refusing to subside as you turned your head to drink in the sight of their broad backs. They seemed to have recovered from the initial shock of their loss, getting ready to hit the hundred serves they had been assigned to.

But you knew your boys better than that.

You had been their manager for far too long to not see beneath the mask of the senior players. They were still very much in denial and pain, but were keeping up a strong facade for the younger ones, who were to follow into their footsteps after they left.

_After they left._

_This had been their last official match together as a team._

You felt as if a truck had hit you, the realization that today had been the last time you were standing on court with the crowds cheering for you settling in.

The last time you’d sit in that bus together and live out your shenanigans before a match.

Soon, the third years, along with you, would leave off for university and these joyful days filled with agonizing training and cackling laughter would be nothing but a distant memory.

But why was it causing you so much pain?

Why did _you_ feel like your dreams had been crushed when you were _just_ a manager?

“You have been a valuable asset to this team the past three years. Thank you for your service, (Surname).”

Your eyes widened in disbelief at the earnest tone of your coach. The third years glanced over their shoulders with the same expression of surprise, trying to remember a day when he had offered words of gratitude of his own accord.

You gripped the fabric of your white sweatpants tighter, burying your head between your knees with blinking eyes, trying to hide the intensity with which you bit your lip in an attempt to stay collected.

“I just really wanted them to continue playing on the court… I wanted to see them go to nationals… I didn’t want it to end so soon…”

Wakatoshi, ever the attentive guy, noticed your distress and slipped out of his jacket, starting on his set of 100 serves to distract the others from you, causing them to run after him to follow their punishment. He knew how much you disliked being openly vulnerable, having been your friend long enough to know you like the back of his hand.

While everyone was busy grunting away at their exhausted muscles, struggling to finish their set, Tendō stood frozen with a volleyball in his hand. He was unable to tear his eyes from you, his instincts somehow urging him to pull you into his arms and say whatever stupid thing first came to mind in order to make you laugh in that beautiful melody of yours again.

He wasn’t even _that_ sad that they had lost; he didn’t even plan on continuing with volleyball after he graduated; he wasn’t even that passionate about volleyball – then why on earth did he feel so remorseful that he hadn’t been faster, better, stronger?

He continued watching you lift your face up to scrub at your bloodshot eyes and a sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks, wiping the air out of his lungs.

_Oh._

He remembered your ecstatic expression before the game, your cheerful voice booming with optimism as you wished them good luck. Your cheeks had been dusted pink like the cherry blossoms that had started to rise, your small hands curled into determined fists, _“Make sure to beat their asses! I wanna watch you guys smash the nationals from the very first row!”_

It wasn’t that he wanted to stay on the court as long as possible, desperate to reach the top and become the best blocker of Japan.

It was the face you made and the delightful squeal you let out whenever they scored a point; the little dance you made when they won a game and talked about their goal to become Japan’s best high school.

He felt a shooting sting in his chest and held onto the fabric of his black t-shirt tightly, confused by the sudden influx of feelings rushing through him, threatening to drown him like the strong ocean waves on a windy day.

“Hey, Tendō-san! Don’t think you can weasel your way out of this!” Taichi called after him, aiming his 30th serve at his friend’s head, effectively breaking him from his trance, “100 serves! Hurry up!”

ღღღ

Later that evening after you changed from your sportswear to your school uniform, you padded out of the changing room with heavy feet. A gust of wind blew through you as you made your way down the steps of the sports club building as if the universe was trying to tell you to cut it off and get it together.

You slung the straps of your bag over your shoulder, a tuft of scarlet hair appearing in your field of vision when you reached the edge of the hallway. You stopped to take in the view below you, feeling your stomach flutter for a fragment of a second.

Tendō was gazing absentmindedly at the mandarin glow of the sunset, his long and lean legs that were clad in plaid purple slacks leaning against the railing. He wore a violet sweater, hunched over and deep in thought, completely disregarding the countless times you had scolded him to stand straight and not become a hunchback.

“Sato-kun?” You called out meekly, wondering why he was still here.

You had been sure that everyone had left already, their bodies probably wanting nothing more than a warm bed to rest in.

He turned around to face you with a raised brow, his spiky and neatly rearranged hair a stark contrast to the darkness around you. You felt warmth traveling up your spine, wrapping around your ears at the way he unabashedly stared at you.

It had been no secret among yourself and your friends that you had a _slight_ crush on your overly energetic classmate since the day you had met him. He had actually been the reason you joined the volleyball club in the first place. Your sole intention being to spend more time with him and get to know him on an even deeper level.

What you hadn’t expected, was to actually truly fall in love with the sport itself, locking every single one of the players in your heart as family; your one and only wish to see them achieve their goals successfully.

Your infatuation with Tendō hadn’t dimmed however, your feelings for him only intensifying with each burning victory, with each excited yell he thundered at his opponents when he blocked their spikes.

“It’s late already, come on. I’ll walk you to your dorm.” He said, looking back at you over his shoulder as he pushed his body off the railing and threw his bag over his shoulder.

You stood there dumbfounded, blinking at him like a deer caught in headlights.

_Oh._

You wanted to slap your palm against your forehead for your belated realization.

_He had been waiting for you._

A pleasantly warm sensation pooled in your core, knots twirling inside your stomach as you felt your throat constrict. Your legs moved on their own, hopping down the steps two at a time until you landed right in front of him, doe-eyed and flushed.

“Th-Thank you, Sato-kun.”

He gave you that signature dorky grin of his, the one that simultaneously made you want to hide in a corner but also kiss the smirk off his smug face. The thought alone of you actually doing it caused sweat to collect in your palms.

“I wouldn’t want our precious (Name)-chan to be snatched by some weird creep after all.“ He mused.

If he noticed the tomato that your face had become, he doesn’t comment on it.

Which, by the way, _he did notice._

Tendō struggled to not break out in amused laughter, your awfully cute reactions to his playful banter like balm for his soul. Even after being around each other daily for three years now, you never ceased to satisfy him by stammering helplessly or blushing furiously whenever he complimented you or addressed you with pet names.

“This might be the end for me.” He started as you walked through the school grounds together, the buzzing of the cicadas around you filling the stuffy air sweetly, “But I don’t regret it one bit.”

You turned to gaze up at him through your lashes with a questioning look.

“Volleyball has always been something I was good at. Not something I was necessarily passionate about like Wakatoshi-kun or Goshiki. I simply had fun because I was good at it.”

“Well duh, that’s usually the concept of things. If you’re good at something, you tend to enjoy doing it.” You furrowed your brows, irritated that he acted like the sport was nothing special to him. “Besides, what is this about it being the end for you? Don’t talk like you- “

“Once I graduate, I am going to stop playing volleyball.” He interrupted you calmly, a finality in his voice that left no room to argue. At least that was what he had hoped.

You stopped and froze on the spot.

“Eh?”

He turned around, having the audacity to look surprised that you were shocked – as if he hadn’t just dropped the bomb of the century on you.

“Eeeeeh? Why would you say something like that? You’re _the best_ blocker Shiratorizawa has ever had! You are madly talented _and_ have insane instincts and analytical precision!”

Tendō chuckled at your sudden outburst, walking back up to you, visibly overjoyed that you would get so worked up over him.

_How cute._

“You know… I have other plans and dreams besides volleyball, princess.”

Your breath caught in your throat at the coo in his voice, begging your knees to not become weak and wobbly, _because now was not the time_. But he was so close, _so close_ , you could smell the scent of freshly cut grass with a tinge of lavender, his deliciously sweet body-wash tingling around your nose.

The words of protest died in your throat and you could do nothing but look up at him like a dumbstruck idiot, “But…”

“With my style of volleyball, I can’t make a profession out of it. No one wants to have a guy on their team, who just plays on a hunch rather than with actual technique. Besides… I want to travel the world.” He said with a beaming look in his eyes that you had never seen before, his lips open in a sinfully beautiful smile, twisting the contents of your stomach in a delightfully painful way, “I want to explore all of the different cultures and places – I want to see all the things this world has to offer.”

“Sato-kun…” You didn’t have the confidence to say anything else as you let the words sink in. You still couldn’t believe what he was saying. Someone like Satori not on the court? It seemed like an odd concept to you – you couldn’t make sense of it.

“Aw, come on, don’t pout like that.” He leaned down, his voice dropping low enough to send shivers down your spine, “I don’t like it when you’re sad…”

His callused hand reached to cup your cheek in his palm, his thumb stroking softly across your jaw. Your eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected touch, your mouth dropping open.

Was this really happening?

“Whatever the future might hold for me, whether volleyball will be a part of it or not…” He breathed quietly against you, his hot breath skimming across your skin.

You felt your heart hammering against your chest, briefly wondering if he could hear what his closeness did to you. His lips curled into a confident smirk, because yes, he could very much feel the heat radiating from you and suddenly he felt so stupid that it took him this long to realize how much you actually meant to him.

“I hope you will be a part of it, (Name).”

Your cheeks were burning in crimson now, his eyes that had been dipped in delicious wine simmering towards you with a hunger you couldn’t describe. You wondered if they had always been this bright and expressive? It was as if a flame was flickering in them, the intensity and heat beneath them stretching out to lick across your body, threatening to devour you whole.

He was so close, wait- Was he getting closer?

You felt lightheaded when he leaned down, your breath stuttering as he inched closer and closer towards you, enveloping you fully in his alluring scent, your shoulders reaching your ears as you squeezed your eyes shut.

Was he going to kiss you?

What were you supposed to do?

Let him kiss you?

Kiss him back?

Push him away?

Let the ground swallow you whole?

Your crush, the guy you had been literally pining for _for years_ , was right in front of you, only inches away from your face, a softness in his gaze that you would never have expected to see in his usually cheeky face.

He felt a gripping punch in his gut when your blush stretched out across your ears, your face resembling that of the ripe tomatoes that grew down in the fields behind his parent’s home. You felt so soft against his skin, so supple and nice to touch.

He had to fight the urge to squish your full cheeks out of fear of breaking the spell. He mentally whacked himself on the head for being so blind to your very obvious affections towards him – your entire stance screaming what you had been too afraid to voice out.

The seconds that ticked by felt like hours, a suspenseful tension sizzling between you two.

And then it happened.

You gasped weakly when you felt his lips press against your forehead tenderly, your eyes fluttering open when he pulled away to look down at you with a loving smile- wait- _was he blushing?_

He dropped his hand, his fingertips grazing down your side in feather-like strokes until he weaved your fingers together with a hum, dragging you alongside him as he continued his descent down the hill as if he hadn’t just taken your breath away,

“Let’s go. It’s getting late, princess.”

**Author's Note:**

> spoiler alert: it me, biss ✌️


End file.
